Zabdas

Zabdas (238-273) was a general of the Palmyrene Empire under Zenobia.

Biography
Zabdas was born in 238 AD, and he became a general of Palmyra under Queen Zenobia. In 270 AD, Zabdas subdued Palmyra's Arab neighbors to the south before defeating the Roman governor of Arabia and sacking Bostra. He also led 70,000 troops in an invasion of Egypt, and, with the help of Timagenes, he conquered Alexandria. In 271 AD, he began to campaign in Asia Minor, annexing Galatia and reaching Ancyra. In August, he returned to Palmyra, and the Palmyrene Empire reached its zenith. In 272 AD, however, the Roman emperor Aurelian reconquered Anatolia and defeated Zabdas at Immae (near Antioch) and at Emesa. Zenobia, her son Vaballathus, Zabdas, and the Palmyrene war council were put on trial, and Zabdas and most of the other high-ranking Palmyrene officials were executed.